Été
by misinformingyou
Summary: Hermione spends her summer at the small seaside city of Coppinghan. What does this unforgettable summer hold for her? And only a few miles away, what had Draco in a deep depression?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** _OMGG I'm working on a new story . Since _**"This December, it's One More and I'm Free"** _is based on winter, I wanted to work on a summer fanfic. I do hope all of you enjoy the first part of the story._

**Disclaimer: **_I am not trying to steal J.K. Rowling's creative innovations. All to her. _

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"In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer."_

-Albert Camus

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Hermione Granger stepped outside of her small hotel room. Her light hands gripped the wrought iron handles and sighed. She stared straight ahead and breathed in the scenery around her. In the background, she could her Crookshanks purring softly with the soft swoosh sound of the crashing sea below her. It was the year before her final year at Hogwarts, and she had finally accepted her parent's invitation to spend a summer abroad in a small town in England. Hermione had been to Coppingham only a few times through out her childhood. Her parents had agreed to rent a two hotel rooms for two months, while they helped one of her Aunt's establish a small dental business in a small office near by. But as the time went by, had Hermione grown restless. It was only her fourth day in Coppingham, and she had already ran out of things to do. 

Hermione tucked in a strand of hair behind her ears and placed her elbows on the railing. She was grateful to get away from her everyday normal life, used to her boring summers at home where she spent endless hours alone. It was the same in Coppingham, where the whole city consisted of only three small hotels, a few shops, and a small Internet café. Coppingham could be described a tourist attraction for Englanders wanting to get away from the bustling streets of London. It was a quaint little village by the sea, where teenage girls would flock at the chance to wear their newest bikinis and work on their tan. But Hermione was a different kind of girl.

She would spend hours lying on her soft bedspread, reading up on ancient wizards of the past, while Crookshanks slept by her side, staring at the young girl with a blank expression. Hermione unsnapped the thin black hair band from her arm and collected her long brown tresses into a tousled bun on the top of her head. The warm weather had done her good. In only a few days, her brown hair had almost turned a soft brown, and the freckles on her nose were a little bit fainter. Her pale skin had acquired a golden shade, and she soaked up the sun as much as she could. Her parents would come back in the afternoon, and change into their casual clothes and eat dinner with Hermione at a small restaurant where they often ordered seafood dishes.

Hermione had been so used to the muggle way of the vacation, that she has not seen Hedwig one night before she went to bed, tapping at her window frantically. Harry had written to her, going on about his boring summer at Privet Drive and how he longed to be with Ron at The Burrow. Hermione had anxiously written back to Harry, stating that she hoped he was doing well, and to be careful. With the war hovering over them, she cherished her two best friends even more. In the last week, Hermione had not received any correspondence from Ron.

Hermione still flinched at their last meeting. Ron had been nervous the whole week, pacing back and forth in front of her, muttering nonsense in front of her. Only when she was at her last nerve, did she become frustrated and yelled out

"Oh out with it Ronald!"

Ron had just gaped at her and would look away for the rest of the week. Hogwarts had closed for the summer and Ron had told her goodbye with a stiff hug. Hermione sighed and breathed in the ocean air. She wasn't stupid. She knew that Ron had feelings for her, but to her in was unrequited love. She could never see Ron as a boyfriend, it would break the tight friendship apart.

The last thing she needed was a big quarrel with Ron before the beginning or the end of summer. She had even turned down Ginny's annual invitation to spend the last two weeks of summer vacation at the Burrow. Hermione didn't want tension between her and her friends, and she really missed spending time with parents. Hermione knew that this summer was going to be different. She didn't know that only ten miles away, someone was thinking the same thought.


	2. If I'm just bad news, then you're a liar

**Disclaimer**: All to J.K Rowling, My Hero

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_This is where I say I've had enough  
And no one should ever feel the way that I feel now.  
A walking open wound, a trophy display of bruises  
And I don't believe that I'm getting any better._

Excerpts from "Saints and Sailors"- Dashboard Confessional

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Draco Malfoy smirked. It was a expression he had learned to so since birth, smirk and arrogance were in his blood. He was standing near his mother, who was busy talking to the confused looking muggle at the reception desk. This was his mother's fault. She had dragged Draco with her to Coppingham. She had totally destroyed his summer by walking into his room one day, just a day before his summer vacation really started, and startling him by announcing that she needed a break from Wiltshire and that she had reserved a two suites at the grandest hotel in a muggle town.

Draco had done everything in his power to stop his mother, arguing that the small town was going to be filled with disgusting muggles, but his mother didn't listen to him, and argued with her son that they would do the best they could to ignore such vermin and soak up all the town had to offer. But Draco wasn't stupid; he knew why his mother wanted to escape the manor.

Lucius Malfoy had been incarcerated for almost a year, and his mother was suffering. Narcissa's Malfoy's reputation among the pureblood society had been wavering. She no longer had the gleam of a socialite, and she feared that her son would be frowned upon. She did the only thing she could think of, escape for a summer and ignore the rumors and gossip around the wizadring community.

Draco thought she was merely a coward. He didn't care what other people thought of him.

"Draco!" his mother called, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yes Mother?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"Everything is ready, we can go up now to our rooms, you may go, I think I'll have a drink before I go up."

Draco snorted. He was used to his mother's pre dinner drink. The whole had stared ever since his father had gone to jail. Old habits die hard he mused to himself. He lugged his leather luggage to his suite and took in the room. The room was decorated in a deep navy blue, with a breathtaking view of the ocean. Draco stared at the strange appliance. He had heard about it, something that the muggles called a "tele" or referred as a television. Draco set down his luggage and flopped on the bed.

He was frustrated and tired. The last thing he had wanted to do was to spend his last summer before graduating at Hogwarts was spending it in a dinky muggle hotel. He had gone through a lot during his sixth year. Things that he didn't even want to remember again.

Everything inside of him just broke down inside of him. He portrayed a tough exterior, but when it came to his feelings, he tried his best to hide it and puff out his ego. But the wall of arrogance he had built all this year was slowly decaying, and his emotions wanted to break lose. Draco was in a depression, and his mother never even noticed. As long as he smiled and responded, his mother acted as if he were some kind of pet and praised him when he did something good.

He was sick of being treated as a basket case. His Slytherin mates had almost treated him with pity and sympathy after hearing about his father. Draco had brushed it off and refused to take pity from anyone. Draco shifted his weight on his bed and stared up at the white ceiling. Only a few days ago, had he reached for an old silver knife he hid in his pillowcase at home. Draco had locked his room and curled up in a ball, contemplating whether to do it or not. Without any thought, Draco had taken the gleaming knife to his vein on his pale arm and sliced the knife on his skin.

A trickle of crimson blood had fallen on his white bedspread, and Draco savored the pain he felt out of cutting. Part of him panicked shortly after, and he had rushed to his bathroom to bandage his arm before he lost any significant amount of blood. His mother had never even noticed the bandage, even when he would lounge around the manor with a wife beater on. Draco continued the practice the next two days, and winced whenever he felt the pain, but part of him felt alive. It made him forget everything, it made him forget about Hogwarts, his father, You-Know-Who and all the mounds of depression that had gathered in his thoughts. It was the first time in a long time that Draco had let the depression over come him, he would always push it out of his mind and keep himself occupied in other things.

But know that he had pretty much taken up the role as a outcast in Hogwarts, there weren't many things to keep his mind off things now. All of the old Draco had nearly faded away. A more dark and angsty boy had taken his place. It's not that Draco wanted to become a outsider, but he felt as if all the people at Hogwarts were so fucking fake. Especially the fucking Golden Trio. Draco had never encountered such nauseating people. Everyone loved Pothead and Weasel, and they both adored their bushy haired companion, Hermione Granger.

It disgusted him to see the three prance around Hogwarts like the owned the bloody place. Ron and Harry would nearly bite his head off if he ever said anything in front of the damn mud blood. Sometimes, she would protest and would snap at the other two boys and proclaim that she could bloody well protect herself. Draco absolutely_ loved _pushing Granger's buttons. It excited him to see her turn red and mutter obscenities at him under her breath.

Dracp sighed and leaned against the headboard. Outside, he could hear the faint sound of the waves crashing, and a few kids squealing with  
delight as they played in the ocean. He might as well go and explore the bloody sea. There wasn't much to do, and he was almost hesitant t turn on that weird box thing. Draco changed into more decent clothes. He replaced his elegant clothes (forced to by his mother, to appear "normal to the muggle society" into a gray windbreaker and his faded jeans. Draco almost didn't like sandals, but his mother had bought him soft leather Italian flip-flops, and they had been his favorite pair for numerous years.

Draco took the elevator (asking a woman next to him what was he to do with all the numbers) to the main floor and walked out. He stood still for a couple of seconds and let the soft breeze blow a couple of strands of hair into his face. He had grown his hair into a almost layered shag, letting it cover his eyes. He no longer used that hard gel that he had grown accustomed to using, and let his soft blonder hair dry.

Draco rolled the bottom of his pants up to his knee and walked to the edge, feeling the sand squish around as he walked. Draco set down the towel he had brought with him and placed far from the throng of tourists. He sat down and looked beyond the sea. He stayed for what had seemed like hours. The sun was coming down, and the sky was streaked with a faint glow of orange.

He laid down for a second, and turned his right. On his side, not far from him he could make out a girl. Draco studied her and rolled on the right to capture a glimpse of her. She was lying down and seemed to be asleep. The last few rays of light caught her. She had long lean legs, and seemed to be very tan. She was wearing a red shirt with a blue jean shorts, and had long curly brown hair that splayed out into waves around her. Draco raised himself up and quietly walked over to the girl.

Her face was heart shaped, and she had the cutest button nose. He had never been so intrigued. Just when he was to inch a bit closer, the girl's eyes popped open and her mouth and arched an eyebrow.

"Malfoy?" she shrieked?

Draco backed down and cursed.

It was Hermione Granger.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I'm trying to broaden my horizons on writing. I do hope all of you enjoyed this chapter. Please feed a hungry author and feed me with reviews


	3. Glass

Disclaimer: All to Ms.Rowling

A/N: Merci for all the reviews and most importantly, review, review REVIEWW!

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Like a bottle with the cork stuck, your true ingrdients trapped up inside  
Through the cloudy glass we catch a glimse of you  
I guess the hard shell represents your pride

_Excerpts from "Glass" by Incubus_

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Hermione breathed deeply as she slammed shut the door of her hotel room. This had to be some kind of freaky dream. She could have sworn she had seen Draco Malfoy of all people. Maybe it was some kind of devious trick. Were her eyes playing tricks on her? Hermione threw herself on her bed and buried her face into her blue pillow

This could not be happening. The damn ferret had now put a damper on her summer. Out of all the places in the world, why did he have to pick Coppingham? Hermione was sure that the filthy Malfoy had enough money to land him on some other exotic end of the world. Hermione sighed and sat up, and kicked off her red sandals, sending bits of sands on the tan carpet. Her parents would be be back any moment and expect her to be ready for their usual dinner. Hermione gathered her clothes and walked into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and dressed in a white sundress and white flip-flops. She towel dried her hair and let her curls air-dry. Hermione didn't spend much time on makeup, but she quickly applied mascara and swiped gloss on her lips.

Before she could ever walk out the door, her mother called to her outside of the room. She walked out, accompanying her parents on the elevator as the elevator let out a soft swoosh and ding, she examined the front lobby with a deadpan expression. It was her usual routine ever since summer had started. Hermione would join her parents at dinner, and then go back to the hotel to watch about four hours of late night TV and read late into the night.

Hermione wasn't much of a risk taker, but she at least wanted something _exciting_ to happen. She was tired of being cooped up in her room with only Crookshanks as company, and watch her days dwindle into night. It was such a boring routine. Hermione poked at her food, she didn't have much of an appetite. Her mother was rambling about some patient at her Aunt's new practice, and usually Hermione found dental conversation useless and uninformative. As her parents sipped on wine, Hermione's eyes scanned around the place, and observed the people and laughing and clinking their champagne glasses. Sometimes the muggle world tired her. The wizadring world was much more _fascinating_. As she continued looking around the place, a young blond woman caught her eye. So did the young blond guy sitting next to her. Hermione groaned Draco and his mother were also at the restaurant. She quickly turned her attention back to her parents and forced a smile. She had been completely oblivious to her parents the whole night. Just as Hermione was about to signal the waiter for a refill, Draco appeared over her. "Well well Granger, you escaped so bloody fast this afternoon that I thought you had appareated" he remarked with his patented smirk in place. Hermione gave Draco a tight frown that simply stated _shut up and don't ruin this.  
_

Hermione's mother looked up and smiled

"Hermione, is this a fellow classmate from Hogwarts, Well where are your manners dear? Introduce us!". Before Hermione could open her mouth, Draco turned on his nostalgic charm. "Hello Mrs.Granger, I'm Draco Malfoy, I go to school with your daughter" he said, with a forged smile that made Hermione want to vomit. Draco continued with the small talk with her parents, and charming Hermione's mother. When he finally left, her mother was nearly gushing "What a charming young lad! You should really introduce us more to your friends dear." Her mother said as she paid the bill.

Her father also nodded in a agreement

"What a striking boy!" her mother gushed again.

Hermione rolled her eyes. As her parents departed for their hotel suite upstairs, Hermione stormed off in the other direction of the hotel to her room. She was walking so fast that she didn't even notice who was in the elevator beside her. She made a face. She was trapped in the elevator with Draco Malfoy until she got to her floor. Draco leaned against the opposite end of the elevator and cocked an eyebrow.

"Such charming mudblood parents you have, Granger, they actually think we're some kind of chummy schoolmates."

Hermione glared in his direction.

"Don't even put on that nice charm you have Malfoy, because you know bloody well that it's not going to work with me."

She hissed. As the elevator dinged, Hermione walked out, leaving Draco smirking in her wake. 


	4. You're So Last Summer

**A/N: **OMG it took me like two months to update this story, but I think the wait was worth it. And without further ado…

**PS**: Please Please Please review!

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_She said_  
"you're a touch overrated,  
you're a lush and I hate it,  
_but these grass stains on my knees_  
_they won't mean a thing"_

Excerpts from "You're So Last Summer" by Taking Back Sunday.

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Hermione padded around her room with a sheet in her hand. She had grown restless over her second week of vacation. She had decided to go out on a limb and turn in applications in all the shops that were hiring near Coppingham.

Not even thirty minutes had passed when she had received a phone call from Nick's Grocery Shoppe. They were in desperate need of a cashier and were short handed, and had called her for an interview the following hour. The manager, a small plump women named Greta had been so impressed by Hermione's interview answers that she hired her on the spot.

The procedure was to be simple, Hermione would be a cashier for the summer, memorize the numbers of all the produce in the store, learn to scan, and the simple chores that accompanied the jobs. In all respect, Hermione was stoked to start her new job. Her parents had favored with her and told her it was better than lying in her bed reading all day, that at least she would be using her time wisely. Hermione walked back and forth in the room, memorizing the PLU'S for oranges and apples and other fruits.

She had already nearly memorized all the vegetables. Her first day of work would be that Saturday, and Hermione couldn't be more prepared. As Saturday approached, Hermione kept herself busy in the morning waiting for her afternoon shift. As she walked to the small store, she sniffed the breezy salt air and breathed in the smell of the ocean.

With a small clink of the bell attached to the door, Hermione walked into the store with a brave agenda. Greta was already sitting behind the counter, waiting for her with a big smile on her face.

"Oh Hermione! You arrived 10 minutes early before your actual shift!" Greta said as she ushered her behind the counter.

Hermione managed a small smile and and clocked in the device behind her. Hermione put on her green apron and pinned on her name badge. She felt as if it were gonna be a long afternoon.

As the afternoon dragged on, Hermione had managed to piss one old lady off by accidentally bagging her wine with her eggs. The old lady had tsked at her and walked out with her nose in the air. Even more embarrassing, her parents had dropped by to purchase cilantro and to see their daughter in action. Hermione propped her elbows on the black Formica and let out a long sigh. Two hours had passed and not a single customer had dropped by.

Draco strolled along the cobbled streets and whistled as he passed numerous shops. His days in the shitty town were numbering and he couldn't stand it any longer. Of couse his mother had been actually thrilled with the small picturesque town and had moved their entourage, herself and Draco to a two story property on the beach.

Draco really didn't mind the house, it was small and comfortable, a world away from the lavish Malfoy Manor. Draco spent his days holed in his room, bouncing a green ball on the ceiling while he lied on his bed and stared at the ceiling for hours. His mother never noticed, and was always away on either business ventures or keeping up with her newest conquest, an Italian warlock named Tiziano.

Draco was disgusted by this fact and refused to come anywhere the wanker was. The truth was that Draco was in desperate need to practice any magic. Sure, he had spent countless summers without, and another reason being that it was illegal to practice magic in school. But what Draco really need was the thrill and the excitement it gave him. It lured and addicted him like a drug. But Draco had resisted the temptation, and had picked up a muggle addiction. Smoking. It wasn't that hard of a habit to resist, and he loved the fruit flavored cigars.

He'd spend his evening lounging around the beach with a cigarette in his mouth, and a flock of girls staring at him and whispering. But Draco kept his distance. The last thing he needed was some muggle girls lusting after him. That was another factor. His sexual drive had gone way down since coming to Coppingham. He hadn't had a shag since before leaving Hogwarts, and that was unheard of for a Malfoy.

Draco pushed back dirty thoughts from his mind and stopped at a store. The outside was painted in green with blue trim, and in curvy letters was "Nick's Grocery Shoppe." Draco smirked. All his food at home had either been organic or flown in from their favorite wizard grocer in Wiltshire.

His mother didn't dare set foot in a dingy muggle grocery. His eyes flickered to the window, where he caught sight of a lone girl with her back to him. Long ringlets of brown hair cascaded to her shoulders, and her thin frame was tied with a green apron and a jeans and a plain white shirt. Something intrigued Draco, and before he knew it, he was walking into the store. The girl whipped around, her features snarling at an instant.

It was Hermione.

Hermione's insides raged as Draco saunted over to her. His stupid mouth was already formed into a smirk. He rested his hands on the counter and wagged a eyebrow.

" I didn't know you were working here Granger, what a cute little job for a muggle." He replied in a mock tone

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Waste your time somewhere else Malfoy, I don't have time for your vulgerness at the moment."

Draco laughed and walked around the display of fresh peaches on a old rickety green stand. He grabbed one and flipped it in the air and caught it.

"Put that back! Don't play with it if you're not going to buy it!" she shrieked, rising a thrill in Draco.

Draco continued flipping the peach in the air and catching it. Before Hermione could protest again, Draco bit into the peach. He gave her a huge smile as he sucked into the peach. The juices oozed on his chin, leaving Hermione gaping. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and leaned over the counter, and placed his lips to her ear, ever so discretely so only she could listen.

" This is just the beginning of the summer Granger, you best be prepared." He blew into her ear, sending ripples of warmness through out her body.

As he pulled back, he walked towards the door , stood for a moment and mouthed the word "bitch.".


	5. Of Dreams

A/N: It's been a while, but I'm back and I'm revising the story..and I have a new obsession with the show 'Mindfreak'. It doesn't hurt that Criss Angel is attractive either

_It started one Sunday afternoon_

_Intoxicated by flowers bloom_

_I fell asleep by the big maple tree_

_That's where she said she saw me._

Excerpts from "Of Dream" by Au4

Draco rolled on his side and stared up at the sky. This had been his everyday routine for a week. He had found a small park in Coppingham, away from civilization. It was a place where he found himself used to. His preferred spot had become under a old maple tree, full of a grassy meadow where he laid down and would stare at the sky for hours. It was only Sunday, and Draco already felt as if he had been in the small village for weeks.

Draco take a long drag from his cigarette and stared up at the sky as he saw the rings of smoke float away into the sky. His summer had become a blur of days, from waking up everyday to eating his breakfast, coming to the park and taking long naps under the tree. He had grown restless, but it was a place where he could just let everything go. He threw the cigarette in the meadow and shifted his body into a sleeping position. As his eyelids started drooping, the last image that came to his mind before he plummeted into slumber was of Hermione.

Hermione had been walking around town for the last three hours, and she had found absolutely nothing to do. Her parents had once again gone to help her aunt with her dental office, and had asked Hermione to join them. Hermione refused and citied that she wanted to see more of the village and to explore the sea. Her parents had reluctantly agreed as long as she joined them for dinner that night

.

Hermione scuffed her shoe along the pebbled sidewalk and walked along the rest o the path. Her job had been going well, she had already even become friendly with some customers, who were overjoyed to see her when they made their purchases. But Hermione had yet to make any social contact with people her age, and spent her afternoons catching up on reading or taking long strolls on the beach. It had been a week since her last encounter with Draco, and Hermione preferred to keep it that way. As Hermione kept on walking, her mind wandered back to Draco. What was he doing in Coppingham? Hermione decided to keep this information from Harry and Ron, she knew if she told them, all hell would break lose. She was tired of the two boys being overprotective of her, and she wanted to be on her own for the first summer in a long time. Hermione kept on walking and before she knew it, she has stumbled onto a small park, detached from the city.

Hermione breathed in the air, and she immediately recognized the scent of jasmine and rose. Hermione's eyes widened as she took in the sigh before her. All around the small park was a number of trees that consisted of a weeping willow, and small bushes of flowers. Hermione was surprised to see a small stream in the center of the park. Hermione quickly grabbed her bag and took out her camera, one that she had received from her parents over a year ago, but never bothered to use (according to Ron, such a device was a waste because the pictures would stay still and not move).

As Hermione started snapping pictures of rare flowers she has never encountered, a vast figure in the distance made her sight curious. As Hermione inched her way closer to the tree, she backed away suddenely. Asleep under a big maple tree, was none other than Draco Malfoy. Hermione took in a deep breath and studied his face. He wore simple clothes, a worn white undershirt and faded jeans, his feet were bare and his face.. It was one way Hermione had never seen him so…serene. His eyelashes were long and dark, and his pink lips were formed in a "O". Hermione giggled. She had encountered the big bad Malfoy asleep under a tree.

Carefully, not to disturb him, Hemione aimed her camera as his face, and took a shot. Hermione reviewed the picture on the screen, and quickly turned off her camera. Draco didn't stir as she squatted in front of him and stared at him in awe. Hermione had never seen him so peaceful in slumber.. and as much as she did not want to admit it..so attractive. Wisps of his light blonde hair covered his eyes, and his breathing was the only sound mixed in with the faint chirping of birds and crickets. Hermione turned around and was about to get up, when a arm grabbed her.

Hermione cringed to see Draco grabbing her arm and smirking at her.

"What are you doing Granger? Why must you interrupt my peaceful slumber?" he asked, still smirking. Hermione blinked and looked up in surprise.

"Nothing, I'm was just going around the city..and I- I- found this place" she stammered.

Why did she suddenly feel nervous? She felt as if she were a little kid and had just been scourned at for doing a bad thing. Draco resumed into a sitting position, and backed up against the tree and folded his arms againt his chest. Hermione Granger was in front of him.

And as much as he did not want to admit it, he liked seeing her infront of him, shaking and wearing a pure white sundress, her long hair gathered into a braid.

"You can sit down Granger, I'm not going to bite you just yet." He stated. Hermione gaped at him, and reluctantly sat a bit further from him. She sat across from him, with an unreadable expression on her face. Draco reached into his bag and pulled out a piece of cheese and bread and offered a piece to her. Hermione kept her stare on him, and without blinking took the piece.

"Why are you acting all kind?" she said, finally breaking the silence between them. Draco shrugged and bit into his bread.

"Face it Granger, I think you and me are the only people who know each other here, and I'm not going to be acting like an arse every time I see you, even though I do enjoy getting you pissed off at me" he said with a smile.

It had been the first real smile Hermione had seen etched on his face. Hermione nibbled on the piece of cheese and returned a smile. Draco drank a sip from his water bottle and offered some to Hermione who shook her head, motioning to her own bottle in her bag. They sat in silence for a few minutes, eating their food and staring into the nature around them. Hermione had never seen such a tranquil place. She felt so much lighter, and the whole atmosphere around her seemed so soft. Draco's silver eyes bore into her own, and gave her another smile.

"You know it's weird, how you and me ended up here, and we haven't killed each other yet."

Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed.

" It's only about to start Draco.". Draco stared at her "You said my name."

Hermione shrugged

"It's the beginning of something new isn't it?"


	6. Annoyance

**A/N:** Thank you **so** much for the reviews! They really made my week: I move in about two weeks so the next chapter will be a slow process because I'll be busy packing and looking for a job and such :

_Have a mouth as sharp as a dagger but a heart as soft as tofu._

-Chinese Proverb

Draco's body was slumped into comfortable sleeping position when a loud BANG of the door woke him up. Draco opened one eye and groaned. His mother was pacing back and forth in hallway, briskly and clicking her tongue. Draco rolled over on his bed and buried his face in his pillow. His mother had the habit of pacing back and forth when she was upset or nervous. Grudgingly, Draco dragged himself out of bed and padded across the room to the hallway.

Draco ran a hand through his bed hair and let out a sigh of frustration

"Okay Mum, tell me what's wrong." He asked in annoyed tone. Narcissa Malfoy looked at her only soon with a bewildered expression. "Why do you thinks something is wrong? Nothing is wrong dear, now hurry along and go eat your breakfast before it gets cold" she responded shushed Draco down stairs.

Draco poked at his porridge. He would usually wolf down his breakfast in a matter of seconds, but for some reason he really didn't have much of an appetite. He pushed the bowl to the side and sat there, staring into space.

His eyes were fixated on the ivory wallpaper, but his mind was wandering in his own thoughts. He racked his brain for several reasons wondering why his mother had been so nervous in front of him. The only thought that entered his mind…chilled him to the bone. The thought of his father escaping Azkaban made his whole body shiver.

Draco shook his head and nibbled on a piece of bread. He didn't want to think of such things. He wanted to take in what little time he had to himself before it was whirled away in September. He quickly jogged upstairs and took a quick shower and dressed. He had someone to go see.

Hermione rested her face in her hands and stared at the rickety door in front of her. She had been at work for over two hours gone by and not one customer had gone it. Her manager had some business to attend to in London, and left Hermione in charge of the store for the rest of the day. Hermione already wanted to go home. The store had never been so slow, and the ticking of the clock made her more irritated by the minute. Hermione twirled a long curl around her finger and hummed a song off key.

Her eyelids were starting to droop when the ringing the bell, signaling a customer had walked in alarmed her. Hermione quickly jolted into her professional mode and plastered a smile on her face. Her smile turned into a scowl when Draco stood in front of her. Draco walked around the store for a few minutes, oblivious to Hermione's presence.

"Are you going to buy anything?" she asked in a irked voice.

Draco sauntered back to the check stand and smirked at her.

"No, I was just really bored and wanted to see my favourite Mudblood at work" he replied with a his trademark smirk. Hermione let out a exasperated groan and placed her hands on her hips

" I don't have time for your cockiness, I'm at work." Draco just stood there grinning like a fool.

"You didn't seem to mind when you feel asleep beside me yesterday at the park." He remarked with another grin. Hermione felt her face blush .

Draco walked closer to her. "I wonder what Weasel and Scarface would think if they knew I was here, alone with you, wanting nothing but to—"

He stopped and mid sentence and smiled. It was a genuine smile. Draco leaned closer and blew in her ear, making her whole body shiver.

Suddenly, the door opening jerked them apart. Draco stuffed his hands in his pockets and narrowed his eyes at the old lady who was shuffling around the store. Hermione quickly went back to her professional stance and threw a quick glare at him.

She took the lady's order, and quickly bagged her groceries and bidded her a good day. She glanced to see Draco munching on apple

. His slim figure against the wall, and his shaggy hair covering his face. He bit into the apple nosily, and it echoed in the empty store. Hermione just gaped at him.

"What are you staring at Granger?"

Hermione scrunched her face into glare

"Nothing."

she replied in a firm voice, and grabbed a washcloth and a began to scrub at a invisible stain on the counter

Draco stared at her, scrubbing vigorously on the counter. It riled him up to see Granger in a haughty mood. He absolutely loved to get a rise out of her. It thrilled him to the up most satisfaction. It was his way of relieving all the tension and stress.

He knew that the petite girl wasn't like most girls in his year. She didn't fawn over him or bat her eyelashes. She didn't dress in revealing outfits or giggle at the newest wizadring sensation. And standing there in front of him, was the Granger he always knew. She wasn't exactly beautiful, but plain.

Her long curly hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and she wore jeans and a simple cardigan over a plain white shirt. Her head was bent down, and he could make out her long brown eyelashes, and her faint freckles splayed across her nose. And Draco had been they type of guy that had a thing for freckles.

It was just to cute. Draco then wanted to mentally slap himself. Had he just called the mudblood..cute. Blimey, the atmosphere in the small town was making him go crazy.


	7. Die Young and Save Yourself

****

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter 33 to J.K. Rowling

**A/N:** OMGG. It's been two months Ehh such a long time. A lot has happened! I've moved to a new city in Texas, and I'm still getting adjusted. I've been racking my brain forever trying to think of a direction for this story to go in. It's December and I miss working on my old story. I've taken a big interest in Brand New. I _adore_ them. Not so much interaction in this chapter.. Just thoughts from our lovely soon to be..couple?

_These days I find for me  
It's getting hard to sleep  
I lie awake in my bed  
And do nothing but think  
Sometimes this world  
It makes me so uptight  
I don't see why its always  
Its always such a fight_

- Excerpts from "Key Strokes" by Her Space Holiday

Hermione stared at the beautiful scenery in front of her. It was the third week of her vacation, and she had decided to come down to the beach and spend her free day lounging around. She had woken up early and packed a light lunch, ready to spend her whole day soaking up the sun. Hermione set down her towel and settled herself down, drawing her knees up to her chest. The wind blew gently against her skin, ruffling her long curly hair. It had only been her third week of vacation, and her summer was already flying right past her.

She spent her days in a blur of work, reading and occasionally helping her mother and father with her aunt's office. She was mentally and physically tired. She tried to keep herself afloat, to plaster on a smile when here parents were around. But Hermione was drained. Her job had taken a huge toll on her, and in less the two weeks after she had started, she decided to quit. The owner of the shop wasn't that happy, but Hermione had grown restless with the process. She felt as if she were some machine that did the same routine everyday.

Hermione had saved every pound she earned at the job, and decided to put all her savings into a bank account. It hadn't been much of a job, but it had helped pass the time. Hermione sighed as she settled down in her towel, and softly began to close her eyes, and let the gentle lull of the wind beckon her to sleep.

Draco scowled. It was already his third week in Coppingham, and he hadn't seen the Granger. in over a week. It wasn't that he had really wanted to see the particular mudblood, he just felt like messing with someone. His mother would disappear from morning to noon, either having lunch the sociable wizadring societies from Coppingham, or flooing between Greece and the beautiful beaches of Spain with her exclusive friends.

She would often ask Draco to join her, but Draco wasn't in the mood to associate with his mother's endless conquests to introduce him to a socialite from either part of Europe. He swung his feet onto the cold tile floor, and shuffled his way to his bathroom. The house has been eerily quiet since his mother had left a week earlier. He let the hot water pour down his back as he stood in the shower. He wanted to stay there until his pale skin flushed a red color. He was growing restless in such a small seaside village. Nothing exciting ever happened, he had wasted his weeks smoking the sweet flavored cigarettes he had came to love, and spent the warm afternoon under his favorite three in the secluded park.

He was half hoping to run into Granger just to see a familiar face.. The summer was dragging on, and he almost couldn't wait to go back to Hogwarts. But all those thoughts soon vanished when he remembered the Slytherins. He was tired of the people. Of the cliché "OMG I HATE MUDBLOODS LETS KILL THEM ALL". That kind of mentality was enough to drive him up the wall. He had grown tired of that.

After his father had been locked away in Azkaban, he had finally felt free. It felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. The first night that his father had been locked up, he had flown into his spacious backyard and flew on the broom for hours. The burst of air that had gone through his lung had almost felt like a wave of euphoria. He curled into a ball on the soft mushy grass and had stared at the night sky until the first rays of sunshine poke throught the sky.

He almost couldn't believe that was free from the person who he had called a father. His mother had gone almost mad, she refused to talk to anyone except Draco, and spent her days in her bedroom. She would walk out, with her beautiful aristocratic face streaked with mascara, and her pale blonde hair un kept. It hurt him to see his mother like that, but on the other hand he also knew that his mother had felt free for the first time. He never understood his mother; the marriage between them lacked any communication at all. They had lost respect for each other a long time ago, and it was a tense relationship. It had been one of the many reasons why Draco did not trust any girl. Sure, he had a few flings here and there.

Half of them were horrid blind dates that his mother had forced him in. He didn't want to brag about it, but he was an OK looking guy. Draco didn't fall for the big puppy eyes or the fluttering of the eyelashes. The pounds of makeup didn't appeal to his taste either. Draco preferred a girl that had a good head on her shoulders and knew her limits .He didn't break hearts for the fun of it, but he didn't want to settle for any wench that headed his way. He didn't want to believe in romance or this icky love stories that the Slytherin girl would fawn over. He didn't want to marry a pure blood witch to satisfy his family or his status. He wanted things to go his way, and he wouldn't settle for just anyone.


End file.
